Deadliest ship wreck off the Greece coast kills 79, hundreds still missing
750 people were on board
As per reports by a European rescue-support charity, around 750 people had packed the fishing boat that capsized and sank 80 km off the Greece coast.
100 children were also on board
Citing initial testimonies from survivors, Save the Children charity said around 100 children were believed to be in the vessel's hold.
Distress calls from passengers
The sea rescue nonprofit Alarm Phone said in a tweet on Wednesday, June 14 that it had received distress alerts Tuesday from people on board.
Government officials said that before capsizing and sinking around 2 am on Wednesday, the vessel's engine stopped and it began veering from side to side.
Survivors
Greek authorities said 104 survivors had been brought ashore from the shipwreck site. Four people with symptoms of hypothermia were transported to a hospital in the city of Kalamata by helicopter.
Migrants who were rescued after their boat capsized are presently taking shelter at a warehouse at the port of Kalamata, Greece.
Most dangerous migrant crossing in the world
Greece is one of the main routes for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa into the European Union. The UN has registered more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world.
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